To determine the highest tolerated dose of the safety and tolerance of interferon beta (IFN-B) when it is given at the same time as zidovudine (AZT) to patients with early AIDS related Kaposi's sarcoma. In addition, the studies will determine preliminary data on response, immune function, and subcutaneous absorption.

IFN-B has demonstrated a dose-dependent ability to suppress the replication of HIV in the test tube. In addition, previous studies have shown AZT to be an effective inhibitor of HIV reverse transcriptase; Phase I and II study benefits of AZT treatment include increased objective clinical improvement, decreased mortality rate, and decreased incidence of opportunistic infections. Long-term AZT use, however, presents possible limitations secondary to intolerance. This study, therefore, will investigate the potential antiviral activities of a combination of IFN-B and AZT to determine the safety and efficacy of such treatment in patients with AIDS related Kaposi's sarcoma. It is believed that combination drug therapy consisting of low doses of each drug will reduce the potential of toxicity, treatment failures, and disease recurrences resulting from drug-resistant virus mutants.

Further study details as provided by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID):

Estimated Enrollment:

36

Study Completion Date:

July 1991

Detailed Description:

IFN-B has demonstrated a dose-dependent ability to suppress the replication of HIV in the test tube. In addition, previous studies have shown AZT to be an effective inhibitor of HIV reverse transcriptase; Phase I and II study benefits of AZT treatment include increased objective clinical improvement, decreased mortality rate, and decreased incidence of opportunistic infections. Long-term AZT use, however, presents possible limitations secondary to intolerance. This study, therefore, will investigate the potential antiviral activities of a combination of IFN-B and AZT to determine the safety and efficacy of such treatment in patients with AIDS related Kaposi's sarcoma. It is believed that combination drug therapy consisting of low doses of each drug will reduce the potential of toxicity, treatment failures, and disease recurrences resulting from drug-resistant virus mutants.

Patients undergo evaluations to determine the extent of their disease and the status of their immune system. Patients then receive IFN-B subcutaneously once a day at one of three different dose levels. Patients also take AZT at 1 of 2 doses. The first 12 patients are treated with the lower dose of AZT. The first 4 patients are entered at level 1 of IFN-B. If no dose-limiting toxicity is seen in these 4 patients after 2 weeks of therapy, 4 patients are then enrolled at level 2 of IFN-B. The study proceeds in this manner until the highest tolerated dose or level 3 is reached. If both drugs are tolerated, patients then remain on both medications as long as they continue to tolerate the medications and show some improvement in either antiviral response, immune response, or clinical response for as long as 24 weeks. The initial three doses of IFN-B are given to each patient at the study site during which time the patient is trained to self-administer the IFN-B. Patients are then seen weekly for 4 months and every 2 weeks thereafter.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

12 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Treatment:

Allowed:

Local radiotherapy or laser therapy to cosmetically apparent Kaposi's lesions, provided the dose to any one lesion does not exceed 3000 gray and the total surface area of all lesions treated does not exceed 10 cm2 during the course of the trial.

Patients must demonstrate the following clinical and laboratory findings:

History of malignant neoplasms other than nonmelanomatous skin cancer or cancer in situ of the cervix.

Proteinuria of 2+ or greater and/or 24-hour urine protein of greater than 1.

Prior Medication:

Excluded:

More than one chemotherapy regimen for Kaposi's sarcoma.

Any interferon preparation or zidovudine (AZT).

Excluded within 30 days of study entry:

Other immunomodifiers.

Acyclovir.

Other investigational drugs.

Excluded within 60 days of study entry:

Cytotoxic therapy.

Patients may not have any of the following diseases or symptoms:

Development of an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection, other than oral thrush or localized zoster.

Non-Kaposi's sarcoma, AIDS-defining malignancy.

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00000695